* The James Bond CSP *
"Tiny" (your bartender) holds up a single cigar-sized finger, and then performs some weird gesticulation. About a minute later an average (meaning: ravishing) blonde elf strolls up and takes his place at the bar, muttering something melodic. He purrs something back, then grabs a few glasses, a few bottles, a few herbal shakers, sweeps them all upon a tray, then picks up the whole array and heads for your table.
"Well, fellas," he begins, "we need to clear up some misconceptions. Do you really" he inquires, "think Reggie is just going to drive through the neighborhood, capping hidden ghoulies at random as he tools along?" He shakes his head. "No. No, you'd expect that he hiked into the field, real subtle and unobserved, so he could catch his quarry while they're just emerging into the darkness." He looks around, setting glasses out in front of everybody, including himself. "For what it's worth," he adds, "Reggie is chauffeurred to - and from - his target areas by Phaeton Limo. You could say he has friends in high places, and you could also say that they have high expectations. That's why we're getting involved tonight..." He glances over at a few other tables, other people muttering to each other over other drinks, the loud phantasmal pulse of the upstairs bass continues to break up the almost-silence that emerges even as the previous profound pulsation perishes against the walls. The effect can be quite disconcerting, your first time in The Echo.
"Tiny" is a big guy, slightly smaller than X, but wider in stature, and all of it muscle. He pours something reddish-brown into all of the the glasses, places one in front of each of you. "Drink up," he gestures, and takes a swallow. "It won't affect you at all. Unless," he adds with a grin, "you have an allergy to sugar and tea..." He looks thoguhtful for a moment then stretches, "Who I choose to drink with on my breaks is *my* business!" The last he adds just a little too loudly, but it gets a snort out of the elf at the bar, so apparently it was for more than just show.
"So, I'm not gonna' ask, but you need to keep your wits about you: I just got a warning," he taps his skull, next to a right-swept horn, "that someone from the Scaglieri Family will probably be out there tonight, too. I have *NO* idea what they're thinking - nobody is supposed to tamper with anybody else's hunt - it sets a bad precedence!" "Tiny" stops, grins at himself. "But what we're doing, that's different, right?" He mutters, shaking his head. "Bounty went up, just now. You stand to make ¥1,000 each. Counter-offers are being placed, another group seems to have been 'selected' to provide cover for him, 'Just In Case'. Johnny the Coffee Demon has declared area of truce, meaning we were almost invited to a mob war zone." A second ticks by to pulsing bass, and "Tiny" speaks up again, "The elven group Ordevast is said to provide area security, but the Scaglieri family is opposed to it, says it will throw off the effectiveness of the hunter. Not exactly sure which way they mean, but they're right - it will most definitely affect the hunt. You guys aren't in the feed, so nobody knows about you, yet. Watch yer backs - this might not be as easy as we thought about twenty minutes ago. Just goes to show you how fast things can change, down here in The Shadows."
As if on afterthought, "Tiny" raises his huge finger in the air, as if he just came up with a great idea (or argument). "If you guys had comms encryption, I *could* offer you guidance and hints in the field, based on the flotsam spuriously spreading through the forums..." he leaves it hanging, immediately drowned out by the quickening pulse fo bass dub from the dance floor overhead... |
